It is good to see that attention is being given to the issue of cyber-bullying of teachers. The very nature of the read/write web makes it easy for anyone, including children to anonymously instigate what are often pranks, and in some cases outright vicious intimidation. Teachers can be easy victims when the bully is encouraged by provocative websites.

The real issue is that once ‘stuff’ is circulating on the web, and from phone top phone is that it cannot be put back in the bottle or undone.

ratemyteachers is a well known site where kids are encouraged to post comments on their teachers.

How do we stop it though? Rt Hon. Alan Johnson MP, despite promising to address the issues, is in the same position as anyone else. The same libel and slander laws apply to the Internet as to printed matter, and requires the same willingness and personal funds to take legal action against what is often a nebullous hosted publisher, frequently operating outside of any legal jurisdiction. Should it be stopped or controlled? If so, how?